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Vol. 5, Issue 115 www.theolivepress.es February 5th - February 18th 2020
SOMETHING FOR THE WEEKEND? Take a visit to Granada’s secret Acropolis, or a peek at Spain’s most original expat art. See pages 12 to 15
Goose chase EU ruffles feathers over Boris’s plans for Canada trade model
His aim is an agreement like the one Canada signed in 2016 where import tariffs on most goods have been eliminated.
The flow of services, such as banking – which is of more importance to the UK – however are much more restricted. He also mentioned however, that if this deal is not reached the UK will return to the Withdrawal Agreement, or have a similar deal to Australia. Boris used his speech - titled ‘unleashing Britain’s potential’ - to highlight the fact that the UK intends to revert to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) terms if the EU refuses such a deal. He said: “The choice is emphatically not ‘deal or no deal’. “The question is whether we agree a trading relationship with the EU comparable to Canada’s - or more like Australia’s.
“Instead, we must work to protect the frictionless fluidity of people across our frontier with Europe.” He said he would ‘not TALKING TOUGH: Picardo bares his teeth in EU speech be able to give a blow by blow ac- 26. Picardo expressed ‘genuine “If all the talk in relation to Gicount of every meeting or contact’ sadness’ about leaving the EU al- braltar is of vetoes, then our Euwhen the process gets going in Al- though he hoped its values would ropean colleagues will not just be expressed in be failing us, they will be failing geciras on February the Future Trade themselves. “That is not the generosity of spirAgreement. “If the EU takes it and approach which this histora line in rela- ic moment requires of us all.” tion to Gibral- Despite Brexit, the Chief Minister tar which is not said that Gibraltar had realised inclusive of us, that the ‘safest course is with BritUK BASED the EU will have ain that we know, trust and unfailed to under- derstand’. stand why the Time’s Up Page 6-7 UK is leaving,” said Picardo.
“In either case, I have no doubt that Britain will prosper mightily.” He added he will reject the requirement for the UK to adopt European rules ‘on competition policy, subsidies, social protection, the environment, or anything similar, any more than the EU should be obliged to accept UK rules’. The EU’s chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, was not so forthcoming and offered a contrasting opinion. He said the EU was ready to offer a ‘highly ambitious trade deal as the central pillar of this partnership’. He added it included ‘zero tariffs and zero quotas’. But according to Barnier this is dependent on the UK agreeing to ‘specific and effective guarantees to ensure a level playing field’, so competition ‘is and remains open and fair’. The highly controversial issue of fishing was also addressed with the Frenchman expecting the UK to allow ‘continued reciprocal access’. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said negotiations will be ‘hard and fair and fast’ but that the closer the UK wanted to be to the Union, the more it had to abide to its rules.
A UK plan for a Canada-style free trade deal with the European Union has been rejected. It comes as UK Prime Minister
Will EU play fair? By John Culatto
‘PEOPLE must come before rhetoric, borders or politics.’ That is the message from Gibraltar Chief Minister ahead of post-Brexit talks with Spain. The message was part of the Brexit Day speech which was marked by the taking down of the EU flag and its replacement with that of the Commonwealth on January 31. Fabian Picardo said Gibraltar’s ‘political safety’ as a British territory was not on the table as talks between the UK and Spain begin on its future outside the EU. “We will not accept any attempt to compromise our sovereignty, jurisdiction or control over any part of our territory,” assured Picardo.
“Much will be said to seek to divide us or make you fear the progress or potential outcomes of the negotiations. “Remember: that is the oldest trick in the book for a negotiating opponent.
Boris Johnson laid out his vision for a trade deal with Brussels insisting there was ‘no need’ to follow EU rules.
Picardo calls on the bloc to approach postBrexit negotiations with ‘generosity of spirit’
Spirit
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